Interviews with parents of 37 individuals (ages 12-30) with Prader-Willi syndrome revealed two-thirds displayed skin picking with a frequency ranging from chronic to transient, episodic symptoms. Many individuals with skin picking also exhibited comorbid picking behaviors And individuals with excessive skin picking also had frequent tantrums and…

Studied mothers' behavior toward their infants with disorganized (type D) attachment strategies. Found that mothers whose infants are classified disorganized exhibit an elevated level of atypical maternal behaviors in the Strange Situation test. Mothers of type D Forced Insecure infants showed more negative-intrusive behaviors and role confusion…

Direct observational data were collected on the behavior of 26 elementary school-age boys with fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most prevalent inherited cause of mental retardation, during classroom academic activities. Findings indicated classroom engagement comparable to that of peers and not related to intrasubject variables such as severity of…

A study examined the relationship between neuroimaging findings and the behavioral characteristics of 29 patients with tuberous sclerosis. Findings indicate a positive linear relationship between a patient's total number of tubers and degree of intellectual impairment. The number of tubers in the cerebellum was associated with more autistic…

This article describes the prevalence of different types of functional assessment and analysis procedures reported in articles in the "Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps" (JASH) involving individuals exhibiting problem behaviors. The most frequently reported functional assessment approach was the use of structured direct…

Assessment of 84 children diagnosed with controlled or uncontrolled complex partial or absence seizures but no documented learning or emotional disorders found no influence of seizure type on achievement test scores or behavioral ratings. A main effect was found for degree of control, with poorly controlled seizures correlating with lower reading…

This paper presents results of analyses of a questionnaire constructed for parents to detect student motivational problems and behavior patterns which may suggest an attention deficit disorder. Cross tabulations and analyses of variance demonstrated the scale's power to identify children with attention deficits. (DB)

This review explores the cellular pathology associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its relation to neurobehavioral outcomes, the relationship of brain imaging findings to underlying pathology, brain imaging techniques, various image analysis procedures and how they relate to neuropsychological testing, and the importance of brain imaging…

Identifies the steps involved in changing behavior as a process over time: (1) becoming aware of desire to change; (2) announcing intentions and noticing actions; (3) recognizing detours and catching them during the act; (4) effecting change; (5) managing roadblocks; (6) reinforcing the changed behavior; and (7) completing the process of change.…

The articles in this special issue from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study of nearly lethal suicide attempts represents an important contribution to research on suicidal behavior. This commentary highlights certain aspects of this line of research as well as comments on the findings of the CDC study and their relationship…

Explored the interpersonal identity development during early adolescence. Findings revealed that 55% of the sample fell into one of the four discrete identity status categories, with 62% of this group classified as either diffused or foreclosed. Findings reflect the emergent and/or transitional nature of interpersonal identity development during…

This study compared the linguistic, cognitive, and behavioral performance at 6-8 years of age of eight children born preterm and low birth weight (3-5 pounds) with that of 12 full-term peers. Quantitative analyses of performance profiles for all the children are provided. Findings found no significant differences between groups in linguistic,…

The employee-supervisor relationship is critical to a camp's success. Ideas from psychology, biology, and organizational dynamics illuminate how supervisors interpret certain staff traits and behaviors. The "set-up-to-fail" syndrome is described. Recommendations cover building good relationships and improving communication between supervisors and…

A school transition project examined effects on sleep and circadian rhythms in a group of 25 youngsters shifting from an 8:25 a.m. junior high school starting time to a 7:20 a.m. high school starting time. The average amount of sleep on school nights fell substantially for 9th and 10th graders, and was below the amount required for normal…

Reports on a longitudinal study of public-library borrowing that shows that high-volume borrowers are both consistent and persistent in their borrowing. Topics include identification of high-intensity borrowers; exploration of behavioral consistency; persistence of use; and personal and behavioral characteristics. (Author/LRW)